Rumor: Yatz avoids impeachment by paying MPs $1M each

Yatsenyuk’s Stay of Execution: Yesterday Parliament failed in its attempt to dismiss Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Out of 226 required votes, Parliament mustered only 194 deputies in favor of firing the Premier. However Parliament did gather 247 votes to declare the work of the government as unsatisfactory. In effect, the Prime Minister has a received the equivalent of a political “stay of execution”. What does all this mean and what are the implications?

1. The announced resignation of Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin appears to have placated Parliament for the moment and bought Yatsenyuk more time. At long last, President Poroshenko called for the resignation of Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin (along with Yatsenyuk’s). The controversial Prosecutor had become a focal point of frustration with Ukrainians who viewed Shokin as the key person preventing the prosecution of Yanukovych era officials, and as an impediment to fighting corruption. The President’s statement followed by the public announcement of Shokin’s resignation, appeared to appease Parliamentarians seeking a sacrifice of a high ranking official since Shokin is the only Cabinet Member less popular than Yatsenyuk.